Epoxy resin researcher gets ARC backing 

Dr Siqi Huo, who will begin as a researcher at University of Southern Queensland next year, has been awarded a $421,000 grant from the Australian Research Council for work on improved one-component epoxy resins.

Huo was recently awarded a grant through the ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) scheme for research on what is described as “a new-class of phosphorus/imidazole oligomers for single-component epoxy resins” to address current shortcomings.

“Compared with two-component epoxy resins, one-component systems are a premix with a latent curing agent to reduce the problems of on-site weighing, mixing and defoaming, which makes it easier and more economical to use,” said Huo (pictured), who is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Zhejiang University in China.

Imidazoles were promising latent hardeners, but had issues including around storage stability, fire retardancy and mechanical properties.

“This project will overcome these weaknesses to develop environmentally benign, flame-retardant oligomers that will reduce fire hazards, protecting lives, property and the environment, by replacing current flammable epoxy resins commonly used,” added Huo.

Picture: A one-component epoxy being used in electronics assembly (credit vitrochem.com)